Hi there !I am scheduling my travel to Australia for end of October and I am looking for help to facilitate my meeting with Djalu or any yidaki master.I intend to fly to Gove from Darwin and stay 3 days but here I am stuck with my plan...Any contact or suggestion is more than welcomed.Please note I have already contacted the local tourism agency but the offer is extremely expensive for one person.

I just have to point out that Djalu and family have elected to work with Lirrwi Tourism after years of people visiting them as cheaply as possible. In the old days, we all went and crashed with Djalu and bought food and petrol for him. It was not sustainable, and in the years I lived there, I really saw what a drag it was for him and his family to have constant crashers. Now he's working with a local tourism operation dedicated to making Yolngu tourism sustainable. You might get help elsewhere to meet him, and Djalu would probably take whatever is offered once you're there, but you're working against longer term efforts for your own immediate interest.

Thanks Randin for your feedback. I have no issue with Lirrwi and I even agree about the role they play. My first intention was and still is to go ahead with them.I am ready to spend around AUD 500 per day there and what I was offered (full pick up charge from Gove, food, camping, yidaki experience,...a kind of full package) is far far far away from my budget...probably because it is it an "all service included" and I am alone to support the price.Now I am still in contact with Lirwi and have asked the other way around...what can I expect as help from them for AUD 500 per day ?

Hmm. Since there are other hotel, camping, food and transport options in the area, there certainly should be a day rate option to just go out and visit with him without having to buy the whole package. I'm positive there was an option like that before, but Lirrwi has been through a lot of changes and restarts since it was founded. If I was still living there I'd be hassling them about that. Without it, they're just going to keep encouraging people to bypass them as you're inclined to do. Sorry I can't be any help from across the world!

Lirrwi is looking for other participants for this yidaki experience to make it happen on 2015 Sept 1st.I am the only one registered now and they need at minimum 2 people.Don't hesitate to contact them if you are interested.

THE Commonwealth Government on Monday placed Yirrkala-based Lirrwi Yolngu Tourism Aboriginal Corporation under special administration, saying its financial management and governance was not up to scratch.

The Registrar of Indigenous Corporations Anthony Beven said the appointed special administrator would look at ways to return the corporation to profit.

“However, it appears the evolution of Lirrwi’s financial and governance systems have not been in line with the rapid growth in its tourism activities.”

The corporation launched with much fanfare in 2012 with a 20-year masterplan aiming to generate hundreds of local jobs and millions in tourism revenue, but it has been unprofitable in three out of four financial years since.

It has faced sustained criticism that it has expanded too quickly and consistently underestimated the costs of doing business in remote communities.

Mr Woods is charged with stabilising the company’s finances and returning it to profitability, but declined to comment on the state of the corporation’s books on Monday.

Mr Beven said the corporation was surrounded by goodwill and had the backing of a wide range of external partners, mentors and stakeholders.

“The corporation has been open and honest with all of them, which shows courage and a willingness to get this important business back on track,” he said.

Since its inception, the corporation has been hailed as a model upon which more indigenous tourism corporations could be based.

The corporation’s masterplan aims to see thousands more tourists visiting Arnhem Land each year, generating up to 1000 local jobs and sustaining up to 50 local businesses.

The special administration was flagged late last year and ORIC is expected to hand the corporation back to its current management at the end of June.

Lirrrwi is the second Aboriginal corporation in the Top End to be placed under special administration in a week, following the appointment of Stuart Reid and Austin Taylor to administer the Nguiu Club Association.

Late last year, manager Matt Grooby said the corporation had $1 million worth of tours booked for 2016.

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